2021/5781
No matter how many times one reads it, it never makes sense: “VaYikach Korach Ben Yitzhar Ben Kahat Ben Levi VeDatan Ve’Aviram Bnei Eliav Ve’Oen Ben Pelet Bnei Re’uven,” “and Korach the son of Yitzhar the son of Kahat the son of Levi took and Datan and Aviram the sons of Eliav and Oen son of Pelet the sons of Re’uven” (BaMidbar 16:1). Nowhere does the Torah ever indicate what Korach took, only that he did take. To make matters more puzzling, Korach provides an argument to which Moshe Rabbeinu never responds: “Rav Lachem Ki Kol Ha’Edah Kulam Kedoshim UBitocham HaShem UMadu’ah Titnasu Al Kehal HaShem,” “It is too much for you because the entire congregation is differentiated and HaShem is among them all, so why do you raise yourselves above HaShem’s assembly?” (BeMidbar 16:3). Moshe Rabbeinu, then, tells Korach to get pots and pans and engage in a strange ritual. It appears that Moshe does not have a response for Korach, indicating that Moshe does not know why he is leading the Jews. However, he knows that he should be leading the Jews, which is why he feels the need to prove himself in a showdown with Korach.
Before advancing further, one needs to analyze Korach’s argument. Korach argues that Moshe should not lead the Jews because he is the same as everyone else - everyone is endowed with Kedusha and HaShem is with them as well. While it is a fundamental truth that every Jew has been selected and differentiated by HaShem, it doesn’t provide evidence as to why Moshe should not lead the Jews. It would have been much more logical for Korach to argue that Moshe did not care about the Jews or something that really demonstrates that he is a poor leader, not that Moshe is like everyone else, something that does not prove his point. Take a theoretical American presidential debate. No candidate ever argues that the other one should not lead because all Americans are Americans, but somewhere along the lines of “his economic plan will degrade the middle class” or “he is a racist,” or something else that demonstrates someone to not be a fit leader.
Every Midrash jumps on the fact that the object Korach took is not mentioned in the pesukim. Somehow, the midrashim all arrive to the conclusion that Korach took himself. Perhaps the best way to understand the Midrashim is to read the Hebrew words: Ha’Otiyot Machkimot - the letters will make one wise, but only if one lets them (Rabbi David Nachbar). The Pasuk states that Korach was “Lakach” himself, but what does the word
“Lakach” even mean? The sentence, “Korach took himself” sounds very silly, almost as if to say that Korach lifted himself up and put himself down in another place. Interestingly, the word “Lakach” does not exactly mean “to take.” The Gemara (Kiddushin 2a and 2b) establishes that the language of “Lakach” is a language of Kinyan, a language of acquisition. But what does it really mean to acquire something? The best way to understand is by way of example. Imagine a pencil. If one were to pick up the pencil, lift it in the air, he owns the pencil. Did the pencil physically change now that he owns it? Not at all. All that changes is everyone’s perception of the pencil, which is the real fundamental change that occurs. Thus, the language of Kinyan, and by extension, the language of VaYikach, is to change something on a perceptual level[1].
Applied to Korach, this means that he changed his view of himself. Korach begins to view himself not as the great man that Chazal describe him as; Korach begins to compare himself with Moshe and Aharon[2], leading him to raise the question of why are Moshe and Aharon leading the Jews when he is just as good as them? He understands why Moshe is leading the Jews, but thinks that the only reason Aharon was appointed over him must be because of Moshe’s family bias, and, due to his corruption, it must be that Moshe should not be the leader as well. (Rashi 16:1 S.v. Datan Ve’Aviram). This is why Moshe does not respond to Korach’s argument; Korach’s argument is flawed and answering Korach as to why he and Aharon lead the Jews would not solve Korach’s underlying issue. Korach’s argument is rooted in what he convinces himself of - that he really is just as good as Moshe and Aharon.
Thus, Datan and Aviram also have a different reason for going against Moshe. This is not an organized legitimate complaint by Korach, but one made by the mistake of comparison. Korach acts out of resentment, blinded to the fact that what makes a person great is how much of his potential he realizes, not the level that he achieves while doing so. The Torah imparts two critical messages from this episode: it maps out human interaction and shows that one should not respond to someone speaking out of resentment, and that one needs to ground himself in reality or a multitude of negative outcomes will occur.
[1] This also explains why the Torah constantly says that someone is “Lakach someone else” with words. One can actually change the way something is viewed by words.
[2] See midrashim for a much more elaborate explanation of this